Real stay top with win in Sevilla

Real Madrid ensured themselves of top spot in the table for another week with a 3-1 victory away to Sevilla on Sunday.

Defender Ivan Helguera put Real ahead with a far post header on 25 minutes and although Sevilla levelled just before the break, second half strikes from Zinedine Zidane and substitute Fernando Morientes made sure of a convincing win for the leaders.

Real now enjoy a four-point lead over Deportivo Coruna, who earlier crashed to a 3-0 defeat away to Real Mallorca, but Real Sociedad can close the gap at the top if they win Sunday's late match against Barcelona.

Earlier, Valencia got their domestic season back on track by finding their scoring touch with a comprehensive 3-0 win over a sorry-looking Alaves.

The result sent the defending champions back into fourth spot, a point ahead of Celta Vigo who drew 0-0 at home to Valladolid.

At the other end of the table, Recreativo Huelva moved out of the relegation zone for the first time this season when they swept to a 5-0 victory over nine-man Villarreal.

Rayo Vallecano remain anchored to the bottom after a 3-0 defeat at home to an improving Espanyol.

Sevilla had the best chances in the opening minutes at the Estadio Olimpico, with midfielder Francisco Gallardo making a series of threatening runs on the left and defender Pablo Alfaro went close with a powerful diving header.

But Real, who ensured their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League with a 6-5 aggregate victory over Manchester United on Wednesday, gradually found their rhythm and took the lead midway through the half.

Fernando Hierro exchanged passes with Ronaldo on the edge of the area, before slipping the ball to Zidane who chipped a deft cross over to the far post for Helguera to head in unopposed.

Sevilla refused to buckle, though, and claimed a deserved equaliser when Gallardo headed in at the far post on 40 minutes after Jose Antonio Reyes produced a carbon copy of Zidane's earlier cross.

But the home side could not maintain their effort after the break and Zidane put Real back into the lead on 54 minutes.

Midfielder Guti, who impressed throughout, chipped over the Sevilla defence into Zidane's path and the Frenchman clipped under keeper Antonio Notario into the far corner.

Out-of-favour striker Morientes, who had replaced Ronaldo in the second half, scored the third when he poked home three minutes from time after good work by Esteban Cambiasso on the right.